Chapter154 Setting Her Up for a Blind Date
Friday.
The sky outside was overcast and gloomy.
Miranda finished the final polishing step. The deep blue cufflinks lay quietly in their black velvet box, gleaming with an elegant, cold nobility.
She closed the lid, the corner of her mouth curving into the faintest smile.
Just as she slipped the box into her bag, her phone vibrated.
A WeChat message popped up on the screen. The contact name read "Mom."
[Miranda, are you free this afternoon? I'd like to go shopping at the mall. Want to come with me if you have time?]
Looking at the message, Miranda directly called her mother.
"Mom, where should we meet?"
"Let's meet at the café downtown. You go there first and wait for me," Arabella said on the phone.
"Okay." After Miranda hung up, she grabbed her bag and left the workshop.
On the way to the café, a light rain began to fall.
Miranda parked her car and pushed open the heavy glass door of the café.
She ordered an Americano and waited quietly.
The server had just brought her steaming coffee when the chair across from her was pulled out.
Screech.
The sound of the chair legs scraping against the floor was harsh.
A man in a striped suit sat down.
He looked to be in his thirties.
Miranda frowned slightly and spoke politely but distantly. "Excuse me, sir. This seat is taken."
The man showed no intention of getting up. Instead, he leaned back, his eyes brazenly roaming over Miranda's figure.
"I know."
When he spoke, his tone carried an presumptuous familiarity. "I know you're waiting for me."
Miranda's frown deepened, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "I'm sorry, you have the wrong person. You're not who I'm waiting for."
"You're Miranda, aren't you?"
The man chuckled lightly, pulling a business card from his suit pocket and sliding it across the table toward her. "I'm Carter."
Carter.
Hearing that name, Miranda's relatively calm expression instantly darkened.
If she remembered correctly, this was the arranged marriage candidate her father Dominic had been aggressively trying to push on her at dinner the other day.
Miranda felt her stomach churn, her voice turning cold as ice. "I'm sorry, I don't know you, and I don't want to know you. Please leave."
"Miranda, don't be so temperamental."
Not only did Carter not leave, he actually leaned forward, getting even closer. "Your father told me about you. I know you're divorced. But I don't mind. I'm quite satisfied with you in person."
His gaze slid from Miranda's delicate collarbone to her slender neck, finally settling on her coldly beautiful face.
"Even though you've been married before, you're very pretty. You're just right for me."
Miranda's fingers tightened around her coffee cup, her knuckles turning white.
This Carter, though decent-looking, was notorious in their social circle as a playboy. He'd been married twice, and both wives had divorced him because of his infidelity.
Besides, he was nearly ten years older than her. Where exactly did he get the confidence to say she was "just right for him"?
"Sir." Miranda took a deep breath, trying to maintain her last shred of composure. "I think you've misunderstood. I have no intention of going on blind dates, much less remarrying."
"Come on, what woman doesn't want to get married?"
Carter waved his hand dismissively, adopting a condescending, know-it-all attitude that was nauseating.
"Stop putting on airs. Someone in your situation has already depreciated in the marriage market. I'm only interested because you're good-looking and would make me look good."
He even began planning their future. "After we're married, quit that little company of yours. You barely make any money and it's embarrassing having you show your face in public."
"My parents aren't in good health, so you'll stay home and take good care of them. Also, after marriage, you'll focus on having children. You need to give me at least five."
As Miranda listened to this speech, the coldness in her heart intensified.
"Are you finished?" She coldly interrupted his endless monologue.
"If you're done, get lost."
With that, she grabbed her bag, not wanting to stay there another second, and turned to leave.
"Hey! What kind of way is that to talk to someone!"
Carter hadn't expected her to be so disrespectful. His expression changed, and he suddenly reached out and grabbed Miranda's wrist.
His hand clamped down hard on Miranda's slender wrist.
"I'm not finished talking. Where do you think you're going!"
Carter's thumb even rubbed against Miranda's delicate skin a couple of times, a lustful gleam appearing in his eyes.
"Tsk tsk, such smooth skin. Must have spent quite a bit on skincare, huh?"
Where he touched her felt like thousands of ants crawling on her skin. Miranda was so disgusted she broke out in goosebumps.
"Let go!"
She shouted sharply, using all her strength to try to break free.
"Stop acting pure," Carter sneered. "You've already been with someone and you're still pretending..."
Splash!
Before Carter could finish his sentence, a cup of brownish liquid was poured over his head.
Scalding coffee ran down his hair, covering his face, flowing into his eyes, and dripping from his chin onto his expensive suit.
"Ah!"
Carter screamed, instinctively releasing her hand as he stumbled backward, covering his face.
Miranda still clutched the empty coffee cup tightly, her chest heaving violently, her eyes sharp and cold.
"Watch your filthy mouth."
She pointed at Carter, her voice trembling slightly with anger. "If you dare harass me again, if you dare lay another hand on me, I'm calling the police."
Everyone in the café was startled by the commotion and turned to stare.
Carter wiped the coffee stains from his face, his eyes red from the burn, looking utterly wretched and pathetic.
Being doused with coffee in front of so many people was a massive blow to his ego.
"You bitch!"
Carter cursed angrily. "Don't you dare reject my kindness. A divorced woman like you who's been used up, you should be grateful I'm interested. And you dare throw coffee at me?"
Just then, Miranda's phone on the table buzzed.
She looked coldly at the raging Carter and picked up her phone to glance at it.
It was a text from her mother.
[Miranda, my car broke down on the way. The driver is fixing it, so I might not make it. You go ahead and shop by yourself.]
The car broke down?
Miranda looked at those words, her lips curving into an extremely sarcastic, cold smile.
What a coincidence.
Her mother had asked her out but couldn't come because of car trouble, yet this Carter had shown up here, even knowing her name and location.
Who else could it be besides her father Dominic?
This was a trap set for her.
Even her mother had been used to lure her out.
If she wasn't mistaken, her father was probably nearby too. The moment this thought occurred to her, an angry shout came from the corner.
"Miranda, what are you doing!"